The 2014 World Series has passed, and the attention of MLB fans will now turn to the hot stove. Here is a guide to the top free agents at each position, and a consolation prize.
Catcher
Russell Martin
Martin's stats won't jump off the page, but his value to the Pirates the last two seasons was significant. In 2014 he hit .290, with a modest 11 home runs and 67 RBI. That average was the third-best mark among all MLB catchers last season, and he added 15 runs of value defensively. Expect the Pirates to try hard to retain him, especially with very few appealing options behind him.
Consolation Prize: A.J. Pierzynski
First Base
Victor Martinez
Buyer beware! Martinez had an incredible year for the Tigers, hitting .335 with a career-high 32 home runs and 103 RBI to boot. The glossy numbers, plus a depressed free agent market, may induce a major overpay.
Martinez is certainly the best hitter at this position on the market, but he's 35 years old and a major liability on defense. That makes him a poor fit in the National League; in the American League he can still be a good buy, provided the team signing (or re-signing) him understands that regression is inevitable.
Consolation Prize: Billy Butler
Second Base
Asdrubal Cabrera
Cabrera is primarily a shortstop, but he did log 432 innings at second base for the Nationals this season and posted a better UZR per Fangraphs.com than he did at short.
His average for the past two seasons has sat in the low .240 range, which isn't great, but he has shown decent pop for a middle infielder (14 home runs in each of the last two seasons) and a little bit of speed. A little bit more BABIP luck and this is a very sneaky signing.
Consolation Prize: Emilio Bonifacio
Shortstop
Hanley Ramirez
Ramirez is quite possibly the top free agent overall in terms of positional talent. He hit .283 for the Dodgers this season and experienced a disappointing dip in power (13 home runs in 512 plate appearances). His speed has diminished from his prime, and his defense too.
With all that said, there still aren't many players in the sport as naturally talented as Hanley, and he plays a premium position. He is just one season removed from a campaign in which he posted a slash line of .345/.402/.638, and his game has become less reliant on speed, meaning he projects better as he ages. Finally, he has a experience playing third base, so if his athleticism continues to deteriorate he can move to the hot corner and make use of his excellent arm.
Consolation Prize: Asdrubal Cabrera (hello again)
Third Base
Pablo Sandoval
Sandoval earned himself a lot of money by raking in the NLCS and World Series, helping the Giants nearly as much as Madison Bumgarner. He smacked 20 hits in the two series combined, hitting .417 with four RBI. Of those 20 hits, six went for extra bases.
Sandoval's power leaves much to be desired during the regular season, and his weight battles can be frustrating, but his postseason chops cannot be ignored. Also-despite his weight fluctuations he was worth 5.3 runs defensively this year.
Consolation Prize: Chase Headley
Outfield
Nelson Cruz, Melky Cabrera, Yasmany Tomas
Tomas is the most intriguing of the three, following the success of Yasiel Puig and Yoenis Cespedes early in their MLB careers. Jose Abreu and Jorge Soler are fellow Cubans that have made a big impact at the MLB level since defecting from Cuba, only they are less comparable as corner infielders.
Tomas' raw power was graded a 65 on the 20-80 scale by Fangraphs, with 60-grade upside in terms of game power. In a diluted free agent market such as this year's, he is likely in line to get paid quite a bit and contribute quickly. The current MLB landscape values power with home run totals dramatically dropping.
Speaking of power, Cruz led the AL in home runs a season after being suspended for using steroids. He is likely in line to get paid, and according to certain statistics he deserves it. The 40-home run season doesn't seem to be fluky; in fact, his home run to fly ball ratio actually dropped from 2013.
Cruz's power is legit-his healthy season is another story. Cruz has a lengthy history of having great seasons derailed by injury, and he will turn 35 in July of the 2015 season. Cruz is a great gamble, and the marriage with hitter-friendly Camden Yards was beautiful, but committing long-term would be a misstep.
Melky Cabrera is another player tainted by PEDs that had a nice season. In three of his last four seasons Melky clocked in at above .300 with solid power (16 home runs), which is enough production to mask some shoddy defense at times. Teams in big ballparks might want to avoid him if they need power in their lineup, but clubs simply lacking in quality hitters should make their pitch.
Consolation Prize: Michael Cuddyer
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